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Language > Voice Dubbing

What Exactly Is Voice Dubbing?

Voice replacement or dubbing is where a client wants their movie or program to be translated in a foreign language but instead of through written
subtitles, they desire an actual spoken audio track. The process of voice replacement or dubbing is infinitely more time-consuming and difficult than it
may appear. On average it takes one hour of recording studio time for five minutes of narration (UN-style voice-over) and even more if you want
professional lip-sync dubbing. The new audio is recorded by a professional voice actor who not only is fluent in the foreign language but can deliver it
with expert rhythm and timing to match the original audio as close as possible. Once the new audio is recorded, it then takes time to clean up the voice
track and equalize audio levels, etc.

What Are the Different Types of Voice Dubbing?

UN-Style Voice-Over:

Typically this is done when someone is being interviewed with the assistance of an interpreter. You have probably seen this when watching a news reporter
interview an athlete or politician who speaks a foreign language. The speaker will begin speaking in his or her native tongue. After a few seconds, their
audio drops slightly and the interpreter will begin narrating. By allowing the original native language to still be audible, it preserves the authenticity,
tone, and dramatic effect of the character.

Lip-Sync Dubbing:

You have probably seen this when watching old kung fu movies where the original Chinese dialogue has been replaced with English or any other language. You
cannot hear the original audio track and the new voice-over is made to look as if the actor was originally speaking that language.

Looping:

This is an expensive and time-consuming procedure that is usually reserved for high-budget feature films. It requires Automatic Dialogue Replacement (ADR)
equipment. It basically involves looping short phrases of narration at a time. A machine assists in matching the timecode for the original language with
the new audio track in effort to have it be completely seamless and synchronized.

Lock-to-Picture Recording:

This is a less expensive technique that is similar to looping but doesn't require all the equipment. A professional voice actor will watch the video as
they translate, in an attempt to follow both video and audio cues. That way they can truly act out the scene and maintain the original integrity by paying
attention to rhythm, intonation, etc.

How Is Translation Different for Voice-Over and Dubbing?

Approaches to translation will differ depending on the type of program (for example, if the speaker is on-camera or off-camera). A direct verbatim
translation is not necessarily the best as it typically becomes expanded and lengthy. Instead, an adaptation of the original narration is preferred. If
lip-sync dubbing or looping is desired, the translation may be even more time-consuming as syllable counts must be the same in both languages and words
beginning with letters that denote specific mouth movements (like O, A, M, P, S, T, R) are matched as much as possible.

Aberdeen Advantage

Our Language Benefits

Translators with 5+ years experience or more—no students or amateurs

Translators with equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree or higher

Every translation double checked, proofed, and edited

Client approval and corrections offered at no additional cost.

Bulk discounts for larger projects

Find a Solution

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